Vehicle height adjusting device

Abstract

A vehicle height adjusting device of includes a hydraulic damper having a tubular main body and a piston rod slidably projecting from one end of the main body, and an air spring unit having a resilient tubular wall member. The wall member has an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion which are closed at one end by a rolling wall portion formed of the inner and outer wall portions on relative reciprocation therebetween. The inner wall portion is sealingly connected to and surrounding the main body of the hydraulic damper, and the outer wall portion is sealingly connected to the piston rod at the projecting end portion thereof. An axial bore is formed in the projecting end portion of the piston rod for supplying pressurized gas into the air spring unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle height adjusting device comprising: a tubular main body;   a piston rod slidably mounted within said main body and having an end projecting therefrom, said projecting end of said piston rod having an outwardly facing annular shoulder;   an air spring unit including a resilient flexible tubular wall member having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion closed at one end by a rolling wall portion formed of said inner and outer wall portions on relative reciprocation therebetween, said inner wall portion being sealingly connected to and surrounding said main body;   a member abutting said shoulder and having an annular surface;   a generally cup-shaped member mounted on said projecting end of said piston rod and abutting said member, said outer wall portion being sealingly secured to said cup-shaped member; and   means for supplying pressurized gas into a space defined between said inner and outer wall portions of said air spring unit, said means comprising an axial bore formed in said piston rod, an axially extending groove formed in the outer circumference of said piston rod and extending to said shoulder, a radial bore extending from said axial bore and opening into said axial groove, and at least one radially extending groove extending along said annular surface of said member.   
     
     
       2. A vehicle height adjusting device comprising: a tubular main body;   a piston rod slidably mounted within said main body and having an end projecting therefrom, said projecting end of said piston rod having an outwardly facing annular shoulder defined by a reduced diameter portion;   an air spring unit including a resilient flexible tubular wall member having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion closed at one end by a rolling wall portion formed of said inner and outer wall portions on relative reciprocation therebetween, said inner wall portion being sealingly connected to and surrounding said main body;   a generally cup-shaped member mounted on said projecting end of said piston rod and located with respect thereto by said shoulder, said cup-shaped member having therein an opening through which extends said reduced diameter portion, an annular space defined between said opening and said reduced diameter portion being sealed by a seal ring, said outer wall portion being sealingly secured to said cup-shaped member; and   said piston rod having formed therein an axial bore for supplying pressurized gas into a space defined between said inner and outer wall portions of said air spring unit.   
     
     
       3. A vehicle height adjusting device comprising: a tubular main body;   a piston rod slidably mounted within said main body and having an end projecting therefrom, said projecting end of said piston rod having an outwardly facing annular shoulder;   an air spring unit including a resilient flexible tubular wall member having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion closed at one end by a rolling wall portion formed of said inner and outer wall portions on relative reciprocation therebetween, said inner wall portion being sealingly connected to and surrounding said main body;   a generally cup-shaped member sealingly and rotatably mounted on said projecting end portion, said outer wall portion being sealingly secured to said cup-shaped member; and   said piston rod having formed therein an axial bore for supplying pressurized gas into a space defined between said inner and outer wall portions of said air spring unit.   
     
     
       4. A vehicle height adjusting device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a coil spring extending between a lower retainer secured to said main body and an upper retainer secured to said cup-shaped member, said coil spring surrounding said air spring unit. 
     
     
       5. A vehicle height adjusting device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a generally cup-shaped bumping rubber mounted in the bottom end of said cup-shaped member and cooperating with the adjacent end of said main body when the device contracts by a predetermined amount.